PAKISTAN: The EU should suspend its trade privileges. Why? Massive human rights abuses in April
The bad deal EU-Pakistan “Trade privileges in exchange of human rights progress” called The GSP+ should be suspended as long as an end is not put to the massive human rights violations.
HRWF (05.05.2025) – For a decade, Pakistan has been benefiting from a privileged access (reduced or zero duties) to the about 450 million consumers of the EU market. In this framework, Pakistan’s products enter the EU market with 0% duties across approximately 2/3 of all EU tariff lines. From 2014 to 2022, Pakistan’s exports to the EU almost doubled, from 8.3 billion EUR to almost 15 billion EUR.
In exchange, Pakistan pledged to sign and implement 27 international treaties regarding labour rights, good governance and human rights. This EU scheme is known as the GSP+.
Since the inception of this agreement, Pakistan has failed to demonstrate a tangible progress on the implementation of international human rights standards. Quite the contrary, the situation goes on worsening as this digest of human rights violations perpetrated in the sole month of April shows.
This is in addition to our monthly report about the violations of religious freedom in March 2025.
It is time for the EU to take sanctions on Pakistan, such as the suspension of its GSP+ status as long as there is no robust progress in practice in the area of human rights. It is in the interest of the EU, the EU taxpayers, the EU enterprises and of course, Pakistani citizens.
Two Ahmadis killed in one week
Bitter Winter (29.04.2025) – Two members of the persecuted Ahmadiyya Community were killed in one week in Pakistan.
On April 18, 2025, Mr. Laiq Ahmed Cheema, a 46-year-old member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, was tragically murdered by unidentified assailants while en route to attend prayers.
Mr. Laiq Ahmed Cheema, a committed member of the Ahmadiyya Community and the father of seven children, was subjected to an assault while en route to a local place of worship in Karachi.
He was attacked with bricks and sticks and died later.
Having tracked his movements, the culprits fled the area unnoticed, even though it was a high-security zone overseen by the Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan Police Station.
Panel in Pakistan approves bill for minority rights body
Christian Daily Int’l (22.04.2025) – In a significant move towards institutionalizing the protection of minority rights in Pakistan, a subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights last week approved a much-anticipated bill aimed at creating a minority rights body in accordance with international standards and regulations.
The commission established by the prime minister would consist of 13 members, including two minority members from each province – a woman and a representative of the largest minority in that province. Additionally, the commission would include one minority member from Islamabad, the federal capital, and one grade-21 officer each from the Ministry of Human Rights, the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Ministry of Interfaith Harmony and the Interior Ministry.
Christian receives death sentence under Pakistan’s blasphemy law
Christian Daily Int’l/ Morning Star News (22.04.2025) – A Christian accused of writing blasphemous content that sparked violent riots in Jaranwala, Pakistan in August 2023 was sentenced to death along with other harsh penalties on Good Friday (April 18).
Anti-Terrorism Judge Javed Iqbal Sheikh convicted Masih, alias Kodu, and sentenced him to the death penalty under Section 295-C with a fine of 2 million rupees ($7,133 USD); to 10 years of prison and a fine of 1 million rupees ($3,566 USD) in the offense registered under Section 295-A; to life imprisonment under Section 295-B; and five years in prison and a fine of 500,000 rupees ($1,783 USD) under Section 9 of the ATA.
Pakistani province marks historic civil service appointment of Christian woman as deputy commissioner
Christian Daily Int’l (20.04.2025) – A provincial government in Pakistan has appointed a Christian officer as the province’s first-ever Christian Deputy Commissioner, assigning her to lead a major district, marking a significant milestone toward greater representation of religious minorities in Pakistan’s civil service.
According to an official notification issued by the Chief Secretary Sindh on April 12, Sarah Javed, an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) in Grade 18, has been transferred from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, where she served as Deputy Secretary, and posted with immediate effect as Collector/Deputy Commissioner, Sanghar District in the Sindh province of Pakistan.
A 2014 qualifier of the civil services examination, Javed brings more than a decade of field and administrative experience to her new role. She has remarkably served as an Assistant Commissioner in the provincial capital Karachi’s Saddar and SITE areas, and in Hyderabad district. She also served for over a year as Additional Deputy Commissioner-I in Tharparkar, one of the most underdeveloped districts in Sindh.
Mob attack on Ahmadiyya hall in Karachi claims the life of an innocent Ahmadi man
Int’l Human Rights Desk (18.04.2025) – On 18 April 2025, a violent mob affiliated with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan rallied outside the Ahmadiyya Hall in Karachi while Friday prayers were under way. During the agitation,
Laiq Ahmad Cheema, an Ahmadi man, was identified near the site and killed in a targeted
assault. Police did not intervene.
The 18 April attack on Ahmadiyya Hall marks thethird assault on this mosque since early
- Its minarets were previously demolished inseparate incidents on 2 February and 4
September 2023.
A Christian family was reportedly assaulted in Ghaffari Town, Malkhawala area
Tribune (08.04.2025) – Farooq Masih and his son Haroon were allegedly attacked following a dispute with a group of local residents.
The disagreement reportedly escalated after offensive language was exchanged. When the situation became tense, Farooq Masih called the police emergency helpline (15) seeking assistance. Instead of providing protection, the police handed over Haroon to the opposing party, who then took him to a nearby residence, where he was reportedly subjected to further physical assault.
The incident came to light when Akmal Bhatti, Chairman of the Minorities Alliance Pakistan, visited the family, recorded their statements, and presented Haroon before the area magistrate’s court. He also revealed that the family’s complaint submitted to Saddar Police Station three days earlier had not yet been registered.
Pakistani court orders return of abducted 14-year-old Christian girl to her mother in landmark ruling
Claas (08.04.2025) – In a rare and significant legal victory for a persecuted Christian family, the Lahore High Court has ordered the immediate return of 14-year-old Ariah Gulzar to her mother, Sumera Gulzar, months after the child was abducted from their home in Punjab.
Ariah was kidnapped at gunpoint on January 20, 2025, from her home in Chak 55/2L village, Okara District, by 40-year-old Muslim neighbour Sajjad Baloch and two accomplices. The abductors later threatened the family with violence and warned of trafficking Ariah if they pursued legal action. Despite the intimidation, the family remained resolute in their efforts to recover their daughter.
Ahmadis face widespread restrictions on Eid prayers
VoicePk (02.04.2025) –
LAHORE
A wave of targeted restrictions and violent acts plunged the Ahmadiyya community into fear on Eid on March 31, as they faced widespread protests, intimidation, and threats, particularly concentrated around their places of worship.
The incidents, which spanned both Punjab and Sindh provinces, have raised serious concerns about the escalating persecution of the marginalized religious group.
Ahmadis in Pakistan have been facing immense difficulties in even visiting their places of worship, especially on Friday, and during Ramzan this trend rose to extreme levels. On Eid day, in multiple locations, Ahmadis were forcibly prevented from collecting at their places of worship over the allegation that they were (illegally) offering prayers. In various areas of Punjab and Sindh, the police did not allow Ahmadis to collect at their ibadatgahs.
Punjab
In Lahore, the situation was particularly tense, with Ahmadis being stopped from congregating at five locations, including the central worship place of the Ahmadiyya community in Garhi Shahu. The disruption at Garhi Shahu, a significant religious site for the community, underscored the severity of the restrictions. In Lahore, Ahmadis were stopped from gathering for Eid prayers at five locations, including the central worship place of the Ahmadiyya community in Garhi Shahu.
Europe urged to copy Trump and weaponise tariffs to end child marriages in Pakistan
Express (02.04.2025) – Europeans urged to take a leaf out of Trump’s book and use tariffs to combat religious persecution and child marriages in Pakistan, charities have said.
Pakistan should stop benefitting from preferential tariffs for exports to Europe until it makes significant improvements in addressing religious persecution of non-Muslims and child marriages, politicians and human rights groups have said. Karachi is the largest benefactor of lower tariffs on exports to the EU under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), a 1971 initiative intended to boost the economies of developing nations. A similar UK scheme, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, allows it to export £250 million a year in bedlinen and £100 million in jeans to the UK for a 12% reduction in import duty.
Hindu in Pakistan facing pressure to convert to Islam shot dead
Christian Daily International/ Morning Star (02.04.2025) – Days after a Christian’s throat was slit in Pakistan over a false blasphemy allegation arising out of refusal to renounce his faith, a Hindu was shot dead after he refused to convert to Islam, sources said.
Nadeem Naath, a 56-year-old Hindu, was shot in the head by a Muslim, Muhammad Mushtaq in Peshawar city, the capital of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Saturday (March 29). The suspect was arrested the next day following protests by local Hindus as well as Christians, the sources said.
In a statement to the Peshawar police, Naath’s brother, Sagar Ameen, said that Mushtaq had been pressuring his brother to convert to Islam for several days.
Armed robbers gang-rape Christian’s wife in Pakistan
Christian Daily International/ Morning Star (02.04.2025) – Gunmen robbing a Catholic last week in Pakistan decided to tie him up and gang-rape his wife after learning the couple’s faith, sources said.
Adnan Masih, a 34-year-old brick kiln worker in Faisalabad District’s Chak 62-GB Channan village, and his wife were headed home on a motorcycle on the night of March 25 when two masked gunmen stopped them, he said.
Photo : Senate of Pakistan